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Policing and Crime Bill

My Lords, the amendment would make it compulsory to have a member of the local police authority as a member of crime and disorder committees. This is an interesting point, but regulations made under the Police and Justice Act 2006 already enable the co-option of additional members to crime and disorder committees, including police authority members. Although this is subject to local determination, supporting guidance, drafted in partnership with the Association of Police Authorities, encourages local authorities to presume that police authorities must play an active part on the committee and provides clarity on the circumstances in which police authority members can add value to the work of a scrutiny committee. I am confident that existing arrangements will encourage local authorities to ensure that police authorities play an active part at committee when community safety matters are being discussed, particularly when the police are to be present. Given the early stage of implementation of overview and scrutiny of crime and disorder matters, I would not want to draw a conclusion as to whether local authorities are, in fact, engaging with police authorities. However, we will continue to monitor implementation. The effect of this amendment would be to prejudge the effectiveness of implementation of the current arrangements. It would also put a new burden on police authorities to put forward a member for each overview and scrutiny committee within their force area. In London, that would mean 33 committees. For those reasons, I ask the noble Baroness to withdraw her amendment.